Using Magic to Craft a Safety Presentation (Digital Illusions for Changi Airport Group)

When I was approached by the management of Seletar Airport (Under Changi Airport Group), I immediately identified several issues they faced. In essence, they wanted a safety presentation that fulfills these requirements:

1. Engaging
2. Accurate and informative
3. Safety message to be remembered
4. Entertaining but serious

Most safety presentations are conducted with an air of sombreness so that the listeners would see the gravity of the consequences. My challenge was to find a delicate balance between seriousness and entertainment. 

Contrary to the assumptions that magic is kiddy and meant for children, magic has the power to create emotions and bring forth important messages, as long as the "story" is logical and well told.

So without further ado, take a look at how I incorporated magic to create strong memory hooks, used drama to engage the audiences, and embedded audience interaction to reinforce my messages.

Signing off,

Alexander Y (Singapore's Top iPad Magic)

For booking and information about my iPad Magic, drop me an email here:

info@metaillusions.com

iPad Magic in Hong Kong: Innovation and Edge in Asia

"INNOVATIVE, CREATIVITY AND MODERN"

So last Sunday, I was flown to Hong Kong specially for an event which wanted interactive magic that is modern, innovative and uses technology. It was a conference event organized by the leading Pan-Asia insurance company, FWD Insurance and held in the gorgeous Ritz Carlton Hong Kong. 

This was a really exciting opportunity for me as I was asked to design a customized illusion for this event. This conference event was held specifically for the top management of the company in which they wanted to expose them to the latest technological advances. The attendees came from all over Asia, including, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and even Singapore. 

Among the fantastic compliments I received about the magic, I want to particularly highlight that almost everyone was amazed by the innovative "wow" factor of the iPad Magic that I presented and how I could combine technology and magic into a unique and engaging experience for them.

The magic that was presented were all original pieces where I conceptualize, design and program. It is truly a joy to have your original work appreciated. Because everything was coded by me, it is highly customizable and you can be sure that the app is not one that can be found in the app store.

Thank you so much for having me in Hong Kong to showcase my innovations and magic to you!

Till the next time!

Alexander Y

--------

For bookings and enquiries, drop me an email here:

info@metaillusions.com

Original iPad Magic Featured in the News

I am really thankful for the opportunity to not only share about my previous iPad Magic engagement in Saudi Arabia for Cisco Connect but to also share about my psychology and magic!

Thank you Lian He Wan Bao for this feature!

Here is a translation of the article:

"SINGAPOREAN MASTERS GRADUATE SELF-LEARNS MAGIC
USING IPAD TO SHOWCASE MAGIC IN SAUDI ARABIA WINNING THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE

Since the age of 15, Masters Graduate Alexander Yuen had been deeply passionate about magic and illusion. The self-taught magician had even created illusion utilizing the iPad, becoming the first Singaporean Magician to perform in Saudi Arabia, breaking the traditional impression of magic in Saudi Arabians.

The 29-year old graduated last year from the National University of Singapore with a Masters in Psychology. However, taking a path different from other graduate students, he instead took the career path of a professional magician.

With a deep interest and passion for innovation, he conceptualized the combination of technology with magic 4 years ago with his partner, creating iPad magic. Through this illusion, he is able to grab a ball directly from the screen. 

Going by the stage name of Alexander Y, Alexander revealed that he first got exposed to magic in secondary school. Back then, a friend of his took out a deck of poker cards and performed a magic trick, thereby planting in him an interest in magic. 

Alexander revealed that he had never learnt from a teacher and everything was self-taught. However, through regular meet-ups with other magicians, he was given the opportunity to learn from more established magicians.

His unique magic performances gave him the opportunity to be invited last week to Saudi Arabia to be the main act in Cisco Connect; a technology conference held in Riyadh. His magic performance combining technology and conference entertained and astounded the guests to no end. 

Being the first Singaporean magician performing in Saudi Arabia, Alexander realized in his preparation work that Saudi Arabians had a rather stereotypical view of magic, associating it with witchcraft and the occult. Through the use of technology, he was able to perform in a manner that is more acceptable to the locals.
When being asked why he did not pursue a career in psychology after graduating, Alexander replied with a smile that this was a very common question that was asked of him. He replied that he had combined his knowledge of psychology with his magic performances, adapting the knowledge that he had in psychology to his performances, thereby bringing a greater sense of amazement in his audience. "

Signing off,
Alexander Y

iPad Magic on the News!

I had such a great time sharing about my Saudi Arabia engagement with Lian He Wan Bao last week.

I also designed a customized illusion with their mobile website.

Check out the featured video here!

Signing Off,
Alexander Yuen

iPad Magic in Technology Events, Innovation Conferences and Creativity Symposium

There is a rising trend for companies to innovate and use technology to meet and exceed KPIs. Numerous conferences and technological events are held almost every day around the world. I have been blessed to be invited to a few, including those organized by NEC, Singtel, DHL and Cisco. 

We must embrace innovation, not just in the consumer and servicing industries, but also the entertainment industry. Magic is no different.

Often I find the best way to innovate is to draw inspirations from the past. Reading about visionaries who do not give up their ideals of the future greatly inspires me and my magic. What they have created then might be outdated right now, but it was way ahead of its time when it was first conceptualized. 

When I embarked on my iPad Magic, my focus was clear. I wanted to focus on innovation and the capacity of imagination. With that, I created this routine in tribute to the greatest inventor of our time, Thomas Edison.

Enjoy!

For booking and information,

info@metaillusions.com

Signing off,

Alexander Y (iPad Magician)

Innovation, Technology, Edison and iPad Magic

I am truly humbled that, as a Singapore iPad Magician, I am able to perform my original iPad magic for a diverse international crowd. 

Enjoy iLight 2.0 LIVE!

Invitations to technological conferences are always amazing. There is nothing more exciting than performing my own creation to a group of coders, programmers and technological innovators.

Key Note Speaker from Cisco 

One of the many reasons why technological companies are intrigued by my iPad magic is that I pay homage to innovation, creativity and out of the box thinking through my magic. Through the use of the iPad, I create illusions that breaks the mould of conventional illusions and magic. Hence no square boxes and awkward looking props.

Day 2 of Cisco Connect in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia was amazing. I performed my own inventions and illusions with the iPad. Here I am, standing on the Cisco stage, presenting one of my original iPad Magic as a tribute to the greatest innovator of our time, Thomas Edison. You can tell from the reaction of the audiences that they really enjoyed the iPad magic that I presented on stage. 

For booking and information:

info@metaillusions.com

Signing off, 

Alexander Y (Singapore iPad Magician)

Finding Beer in Saudi Arabia, Cisco Conference and iPad Illusions

After a grueling 15 hours of traveling, I am finally in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh. Woohoo! It is a gorgeous place, the charm of this city creeps on you like the light of dawn.

This was the very first picture I took on the ride to the hotel. Incidentally, this is also the place where I will be debuting my iPad Illusion Show. 

I am booked here to perform at Cisco Connect, a technological conference that engages the development of technological advancement. The iPad Illusion Show is a great fit for the theme as I present cutting edge illusions without old cliches in magic. More on that later.

After reaching the hotel, I had a refreshing sleep and then it is back to work. I had to do some last minute programming changes in some of the apps I developed as the customized content was tweaked a little.

Setting up the iPads

Commence Programming!

Singapore is 5 hours ahead of the Riyadh, therefore I was also 5 hours late in replying my emails. I guess no one ever sees the background work of an entrepreneur but it is not all glitz and glamour. After programming, I got to my emails.

Check out that killer view. This is my business suite and my sleeping place for the next few days. Awesome!

We had some time before the technical rehearsal, my stage assistant, Yi Hao and I took a walk. But soon after we took a few steps, we realized it was a better idea to stay indoors. The heat was scorching, we could feel the heat wave on our bodies. If you thought Singapore was hot, try Saudi Arabia.

However, we did the best thing on a sunny day, ICE CREAM! We also found non-alcoholic beer from Budweiser. We did a taste and videoed it, check it out below!

It was then call time for the technical rehearsal. The staging and set up looks magnificent!

I am very excited to perform on the pedestal-looking stage. Tech rehearsals went smoothly and we are good to go for tomorrow and Thursday!

To reward ourselves, we headed back for dinner and tried the non-alcoholic beer. Check out our reaction and thoughts on this in this video!

Yea.... Probably not my thing for now.

I am stoked to be performing tomorrow at the amazing stage for the international conference goers! It is about 10.41 pm right now, which means it is it is 3.40am in Singapore. I am still feeling a little jet lagged. Gonna head to bed soon!

Will be uploading a sample of my show tomorrow!

Signing Off,
Alexander Yuen (iPad Magician in Saudi Arabia)

Technology, Innovation, iPad Magic!

30 years ago, magicians were doing magic with frames, boxes and confetti. 30 years later, some magicians have not progressed from there. Magicians might add a modern touch by adding a technological device like an iPad or LED lights. But ultimately, the content, the style of magic, the music and the movement all screams out old school.

Perhaps for sentimental nostalgic reasons, some audiences actually do prefer an illusionist who performs in a style of the 60s, where objects fly around from with no rhyme or reason. 

But for the modern and intelligent audience, is this satisfying?

If you are looking for a modern and intelligent act, look no further. The iPad magic that I create is meaningful, visual and engaging. I design all my own apps, so you can be sure you are getting high quality iPad Magic. The animations in the iPad will look natural because it was designed from scratch. 

There are alternative methods of doing iPad magic via an app bought from iTunes, but... I don't think you want to go there. The perks of designing your own app:

1. Fully Customizable
2. Editable
3. Tailored for perfection

Don't take my word for it, check out this video here!

For booking and enquiries, drop me a message at:

info@metaillusions.com

Signing off,
Alexander Yuen (iPad Magician)

Customized iPad Magic

What does customization mean? Is it enough to slap a logo and say that you've customized your magic?

In the world of advertising, branding and visibility are integral marketing concepts. Logo and brand exposure is great, but you can stretch that further by incorporating meaningful visuals and powerful emotions (like amazement) into the campaign. 

Here is a simple but very effective customized iPad magic sequence I did for a Japan company that has a franchise in Singapore:

You will notice that the magic has meaning. The magic is not done for magic sake. (For example, making confetti appearing for now reason).

You can also see that there is strong branding and visibility because of the visuals I designed to be incorporated into the iPad app that I eventually programmed. 

Added with a nice touch of magic (and charisma!), you have a simple yet amazing and effective iPad magic illusion for a marketing campaign.

To find out more about my work, drop me an email!

I customize not just for brands and products, I customize for events and parties too!

Booking and Enquiries:

info@metaillusions.com

Integrity within Deception

INTEGRITY

The nature of a magician's job heavily involves deception. To the uninformed, our job entails lies and deceit, it is a malicious occupation. Indeed, while our job involves deceit, it is crafted in a sophisticated manner that it will induce a desire in our audiences to want to be fooled by our skilled trickery further.

However, we must also bear in mind that the public will judge us quickly and harshly when our deception is discovered, in a magic routine context and/ or personal context.

With this in mind, I strongly advocated magicians to uphold their business transactions and personal dealings in an above board fashion so that there is no room for suspicion and there is no tendency to assume that "because he is a magician, he is prone to cheating".

We have to conduct ourselves in an open manner, like a corporation, so that the thought of foul play will not cross the minds of our business partners and clients.

It is unfortunate that not all practitioners of the art uphold the value of integrity. They believe they can cut corners and skirt their way around their mishandlings in hopes that it will not be noticed. 
For these people, I appeal to your remaining sense of integrity. Your occupation in deception already has a negative reputation by default, do what you can and must to make sure that you, as a person, do not fall into that heuristic trap that the public holds. This means, you have to stop using magic to harm the vulnerable by selling "magic stones" or 4D predictions. This means, you need to start living your life as an upright individual and be accountable to the public, your colleagues and your business partners.

Our passion and occupation may require deception, but your personal lives do not.

"Professional" versus "Difficult to Work With"

I will be brutally honest here, I have been called "difficult to work with" on 2 occasions that I know of. We will get to these 2 occasions later. 

When a person is difficult to work with, you might imagine the person to be a diva, making unreasonable requests for his or her own personal enjoyment. For example, wanting the holding room to be of a certain colour, asking for a specific brand of snack to be served, not wanting to perform because the audience is of a demographic that the performer is biased against or even coming late to an engagement as if it is his/her right to do so.

In other words, this performer puts himself/herself above the engagement. 

But on the other hand, what does being professional entail? In my opinion, being professional means putting the event/performance first before self. Here are some of the things that I do (and do not) that I consider professional:

1. Technical Rider: 

"A tech rider is a one-page document that gives the venue an understanding of what your technical requirements are and how to set up the stage before you arrive. It also gives them an opportunity to let you know if they can't accommodate any of your needs."

View fullsize

My technical rider for my Stand Up Show

Ear hook microphone in Virtual X Reality in Esplanade 2015.

The technical rider for my Interactive Illusion Show is a very straightforward one. In fact, most of the venues have no issues providing it. Occasionally, the venue will ask if it is okay for them to provide a lapel mike instead of a headset mike. And most of the time, it is not a problem but my preference is for the headset mike or ear held mike. 

On rare occasions, the venue might have forgotten to cater for a headset/lapel mike and ask if I could use a wireless microphone. Being a professional, I always bring a microphone brace so that when such emergencies occur, I am ready.

Being a professional, I am always prepared.

Worn around the neck

2. Turning Up Early

I always come 20 minutes-6 hours before my event begins, depending on the scale of the shows. Some of my peers cannot grasp this concept of being early and assume that they just need to be on time. Maybe it is the "Scorpio" in me that makes me want to be at the venue early and survey my surroundings so that I can detect anomalies and make adjustments in my performance. 

When I arrive at the venue, I would immediately do my sound and equipment checks before making "friendlies" with the event producer. I have been told, prior to my show, that my seriousness is not appreciated and that they want a more fun performer. After watching my show, their opinions changed because they know that my seriousness is attributed to making sure the show goes right. My seriousness stems from wanting to make sure everything is in place and good to go. While I have time before the show to make small talk about your children's first spelling test or how your new hair colour is amazing, I am in the zone where I visualize the show, and then execute it as perfectly as I can. 

Being all in the zone, I apologize for my resting bitch face before the performance, but hey, better to have a performer who takes the show seriously than one that mucks around yea?

Coming early comes in very handy, I will give you two examples.

1) Once I went to the event that was projected to have 500 guests. To my surprise, when I went to the venue, there were barely 50 guests present. I quickly spoke to the client and explained the situation, citing that it would be a lot better to do a stand up show, in a nearer proximity to the guests than on stage. The client hesitated but took my idea. The show was great and the crowd enjoyed a more interactive show.

Had I arrive just on time and pressured to start, I would stick to the plan and do a lackluster stage performance with a sparse crowd. 

2) The second example: The event I was to perform for under-ran. They were ahead of time. I was ready to begin with and the whole event when on smoothly without any dead time in between.

3. Attire

I always make sure I look my best when I come to an event. I make sure my shirts are well-pressed, my hair is well combed, and my shoes are well shined. I also make sure my nails are clean and I would rinse my mouth with a mouth wash before show time.

My suits are tailored to my body, it is important that I look good, so you look good. Because my background is in corporate entertainment, I often perform as a representative of the client's brand. Being part of the brand, I make sure that my attire and demeanor is in line with their corporate identity. This is so much more important for the mingling performer where your guests can see and feel the magic. Unfortunately, a lot of events producers do not understand this. They see a roving performer as one who is there to just "show tricks". As long as the guests are "wow-ed", it doesn't matter what he or she wears. 

No. It matters because I am an extension of your client's identity.

I say that again, I look good, so you look good. 

Imagine booking a performer who turns up in a sloppy oversize jacket (probably borrowed from his Dad).

Would you actually be proud to showcase him as part of your brand identity?

Three real life examples of where I draw the line when it concerns my attire.

1) Three years back, I had a request for an event that asked me to dress up as Peter Pan. They were very specific about the attire and I had to wear tights. 

I said no. And naturally (and thankfully) they did not book me. 

No tights for me, thank you.

2) 2 Years back, I had a client who wanted me to come in their corporate colors: White and Red. The event was for their lower management.

After explaining that I did not have a white suit, the client happily agreed to pay for the white suit. I performed in a fitting suit, I looked good, they looked good. I returned the suit to the client after the event is over. I am always grateful to clients who can see things on both points of view. 

3) One year ago, I had a request to perform for a White Party. Get this: This party was a birthday celebration of the CEO of one of the top banks in Singapore. The guest list consisted of high net worth individuals from banks in Singapore and abroad. 

Naturally, I asked to make a suit so that I can perform for this event. This request was met with huge resistance. I was ordered to just get a jacket off the shelf and "as long as it is white", it works. 

No. It does not. I have had the privilege to mingle with top CEOs and directors in my course of work. These people know value when they see it. An oversized jacket would make me look silly, and make the event producer look sillier.

I stood my grounds and managed to convince the coordinator for the suit. I did the event and it was very well received from the client and the guests. I returned the jacket thereafter. 

However, I was labelled as "difficult to work with" after the event simply because I wanted to look good and presentable for your event. While I assumed the line between professionalism and being a diva was a clear one, it was unfortunate that the coordinator did not. She had to do more work on her part by getting permission for this tailored jacket. As a result, my due diligence was labelled as "difficult to work with". 

Thus far, majority of my dealings had been pleasant because both the Events Producer/Client and I want to make the event the best that we can. As long as we fall back on this principle, professionalism will meet professionalism and everyone wins. (win-win-win situation). 

Despite being labelled "difficult to work with" on two occasions, I am very grateful for the other clients I have that appreciates my professionalism. I will rush my proposal for you so that you can pitch it to your client because I know you will do your best as I will do mine. This common understanding flourishes the industry and we all win.

Here are some testimonies:

"Hi Alex,

it was definitely a great working experience with you and thank you for being patient and understanding with our requests. We do not have any feedback as we felt it was a good performance delivered overall. You were also very prompt with replying which made working with you a breeze.

Thank you for showing us your art and hope to be able to work together again! :)"

Tracie (Ms) | Accounts Executive | 3-sixty Brand Communications

31st March 2016

-----

“You're an awesome magician and treasured friend. I can never forget that moment you stopped me and my wife during our wedding and said that if you didn't perform that magic card trick for us, you will never have a chance to. Perhaps it was a small gesture - but it told us that you really cared about making magic meaningful for people. And you did -- on our memorable wedding day.

Kai Qin

17th November 2015

-----

"To whom it may concern,

Alexander Yuen was engaged for Eurex Asia's Housewarming Event on the 14th July to entertain our guests during dinner. He did a wonderful job in engaging and interacting with our top clients and partners. His style of magic was intellectual, sleek and sophisticated which was highly appealing to an educated audience.

Alexander was highly professional in his dealings, accommodating and addressing all my concerns. He came early and was prepared to begin before the show time.

Even though we had some doubts about magic initially, my bosses and I were very impressed with Alexander's performance. Alexander's brand of magic appealed very much to our corporate guests and everyone had something great to say about his magic at the end of the event.

I would highly recommend his services to anyone who is looking for a classy and eloquent magician for a corporate event."

Signing off,
Liz Yeo, Marketing Manager of Eurex Asia Singapore

16th July 2015

-----

"Dear Alex,

Thank you for your amazing performance on our Dec. 11 – Sofgen Christmas event.

Appreciate so much on the extra stage show that you provided us everyone enjoyed your show.

Our COO from Geneva was very impress with your finale show according to him it was a brilliant :)

I already pass your card to one of our contractor. I will definitely introduce your services to relatives and friends.

All the best for the coming year 2015.

Kind Regards,

Mabel Koh

Administrative Executive

22nd December 2014

-----

You get the idea. I rest my case. 

The other occasion that I was labelled difficult to work with? Thought you wouldn't ask :p

4 years ago, I worked with an events company that was known for delaying payments. I made sure they signed a contract which states that full payment has to be made on the day of the venue itself, prior to performance. 

Guess what? They did not want to pay me before I commenced. I did the show still but with the request that they SMS me a declaration that they will pay me after the event immediately. The events person disappeared after the engagement, I followed up for a few weeks and over one phone conversation, I was reprimanded for being difficult to work with.

Meh.

I did get paid in the end. Professionalism always pays off in the end.

Signing Off,

Alexander Yuen

PS: HEY, IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE SO, FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM! its not so difficult!

"Magician of the Month" for iPad Magic

I was given the title of "Magician of the Month" by the International Brotherhood of Magicians (Singapore Ring 115) for the month of March. It was a privilege to be given this title and be recognized for uniqueness I bring into the magic landscape in Singapore.

I performed and lectured on Digital Magic (or iPad Magic). You can imagine how anxious I was presenting this to fellow peers of the industry. But thanks to the years of training in the university, for my BA and MA, I rehearsed and was able to give a very well received lecture. 

Being Magician of the Month in a domain of magic means that your peers recognize you to be the leading figure in that area. This recognition is not something lightly given. If you had followed my work, you would know that it was not an easy journey pioneering iPad Magic.

But as with all aspects of technology, there is a constant pressure to innovate and think outside the box. I am very excited to share that I am working on something really quite exciting, and I will share more in due time!
 

In the mean time, innovate!

Here is the lecture I presented which shows my thinking process behind designing the illusions.

(*Disclaimer, it is going to be quite boring because I've edited the teaching part out)

Logging Out,

Alexander Yuen

Customized iPad Magic: The Great Egg-Venture

Did Humpty Dumpty had a great fall?

We are all on the topic of Eggs because some time ago, I was consulted and then commissioned to design a sequence for Sentosa-Harbourfront Business Association to launch a first of its kind, egg themed cookbook titled, "Everybody Loves Eggs".

Though the timeline was tight, I managed to craft an iPad Magic Sequence that is thematic to this book. There were a few key messages that were integral to this sequence:

1. First ever egg-themed recipe book in Singapore

2. Encompasses creations from top chefs in the precinct, from brunches to main courses, desserts and cocktail.

3. Enjoy the Easter treats at Sentosa-HarbourFront, and take the recipe book home and replicate the memories.

4. VIP has to launch the book

I spent about half a day working out a creative way to introduce the first 3 messages. This was followed by the designing of visual assets and then programming. You can see how I creatively use visual illusions, animation and magic to showcase the top 3 messages.

VIP Launch Mechanism

There were a few consideration for the launch mechanism. The first main constraint was that the mechanism needs to be as straightforward as possible. The VIP should not have to do a lot of rehearsals for the launch. The reason being, the VIP usually has a packed schedule without sufficient free time for a proper rehearsal. Hence the magic needs to be as direct as possible.

The second constraint was that the book needs to be pulled out and displayed in the VIP's hand. I hadto use an apparatus that would allow me to do that. 

With the two conditions in mind, I programmed a sequence where the VIP would swipe an image into a picture frame, and the image of the book would appear. Thereafter, the illusionist would show that this is not just a picture, but it is the book itself. 

The crowd size was fairly small, there was about 80 guests present at the event. The full sequence was well received by the crowd and the VIP. In fact, one of the guest present, Meiling from Universal Scribbles came up to me and asked if she could film a sequence for her son, who loves magic. 

My son is going to be so psyched that I met digital illusionist Alexander Yuen in person at the launch of The Great Egg-Venture on Sentosa. He was nice enough to perform a trick for him. Thanks Alexander! #digitalmagic #awesome #universalscribbles #digital #illusionist #magic #performer @rwsentosa @sentosa_island#follow4follow #instamagic

A video posted by Meiling Wong-Chainani (@universalscribbles) on Mar 10, 2016 at 11:37pm PST

So back to Humpty Dumpty, did he have a great fall? I am not sure, but I think he would have a great time at the Great Egg-Venture!

PS: HEY, IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE SO, FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM!

Signing Off,

Alexander Y.

-------------

Keen to have me at your event?
 

Drop me an email here: info@metaillusions.com

 

iLight Festival 2016: How to fully immerse in this festival

TLDR:

1. Dinner at Pasarbella (Go after the sunset)
2. Walk to floating platform for the Segway (now called: Ninebot)
3. Get Segway guided tour, enjoy the sculptures
4. Pit stop at Hagen Daz
5. Continue rest of the tour
6. Be immersed in iLight 2016
7. Repeat with more friends

iLight 2016 is here! And this is "Asia's Leading Sustainable Light Art Festival", this festival used to be a bi-annual affair, but from this year on, it will be a yearly one. Also, this year's festival is touted to be the largest so far. Pretty exciting stuff!

So yesterday I was given a full access media pass to check out the festival. Special thanks to Ning for hosting the Instagram contest which allowed to win this pass (See my iLight Entry here!)!

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Food.

Okay, so back to the festival. We met up about 6.30pm and went out the Pasarbella for dinner.

 * Pro tip: It gets quite hot before 6.30pm, head over after that time when the sun sets.

Ice cold beer, like-minded peers, great music, iLight: Perfect!

Really good man-tou with pork!

This is amazing! Look out for the stall with a grill station!

Pasarbella's pop up stalls opened just yesterday, so come by for great music, food, and skyline. It overlooks the city skyline, and it will make you appreciate the beauty of Singapore. 

* Pro tip: It gets packed really quickly! Also, if you're gonna do the Segway, go easy on the alcohol!

Fun.

We walked over to the floating platform to get our hands (or rather, feet) on the Segway. 

The staff at Ninebot Asia were really nice, they guided us and taught us how to use the Segway. There were 2 versions, I had the smaller one without the handle, and then there was a larger one with the handle.

* Pro tip: The larger one is easier to use. And it is more convenient because there are cable casing along the festivals, the larger Segway allows you to go over it, while the smaller one requires you to dismount and wheel it manually over these cable cases. 

I think the Segway made the festival a lot more enjoyable. We were able to cover almost all of the exhibits with little sweat. The full distance of the festival is about 3.8km. So that would take a while on foot.

At the Segway booth, you can choose either a full guided tour or partial tour which covers either the exhibits along the Marina Bay Sands side or the Esplanade side. Personally, it is a lot more fun at the Marina Bay Sands side.

We Segway through the festival ground, towards the mid point, we found the perfect pit stop. Haagen Dazs Ice Cream!

We were treated to this really yummy Royal Milk Tea ice cream. It tasted very unique, with a blend of thai ice tea, but it was a little too sweet for me. Then I also had one of their whiskey cocktail ice cream. Love it!

Incidentally, I met my friend who was with a friend from Cambodia! And naturally she requested for magic, check out the video:

Did magic for my good friend at Hagen Daz in ILight Festival!#ningxilight #ilightmarinabay #magic

Posted by Alexander Yuen: A Finer Side of Magic on Friday, March 11, 2016

We resumed the festival, and the next thing we saw was the "Angels of Freedom". Fantastic photo opp!

There were queues to take pictures with these sculptures. There are 4 of these angels, so don't worry!

* Pro tip: If you, like me, are tall, you can line up at one with a higher halo. You might not be able to see this, but I was in the shorter halo sculpture and I had to bend my knees. 

We then finished the last leg of the festival. Here are some pictures i took!

This festival is really quite fun, it is good fun for kids and adults as well. Also, it is important to incorporate the message of being eco friendly and sustainability to our children. This festival does it in an engaging and interactive way.

So I hope you all have fun! I know i-Light it, a lot. 

Signing off,

Alexander Yuen

Interactive Roving iPad Magic

iPad Roving Magic Promo by Alexander

If you have read our previous article on iPad Magic and Digital Illusions, titled "Evolution of an Artist", you would know that the genre of iPad Magic within Meta Illusions started first with Jonathan designing iPad apps for our Interactive Roving Magic. 

As we progressed we had more need for palour and stage effects in the iPad and they were mostly custom designed to our client's specification.

But that aside, today I want to share with you more information about our Interactive iPad Roving Magic. This is our 2nd most popular engagement next to the Standard Interactive Roving Magic. 

Why iPad Magic?

The unique feature about the iPad Roving Magic is that you can book me to interact and mingle with your guests. You are offering a unique form of entertainment that is hardly seen in the industry; your guests and clients will be impressed by the novelty and the strength of the inherent magic. The best part: How about adding your client's or company's logo into the iPad and using them as part of the magic, at no additional cost?

Complimentary Logo Customization

Up to a limited time, I am offering complimentary basic customization for all my iPad Roving Magic where I would add your company's logo into the iPad and use it do magic. This increases marketing visibility and identity!

Check out the promo above to get a feel of what it is like for your clients to be at the cutting edge of magic! I would love to discuss with you further on thoughts, ideas and proposals for your event and your client!


Signing off,

Alexander Y.

Adult Parties

No no, not that kind of adult parties.

Most of the time when we think about parties, we are probably thinking about a children's birthday party or a drinking session in a club which you pass off as "party".

The truth be told, there are a lot of other parties adults throw for themselves, or for their partners. 

1. Birthday Parties
2. Anniversary Parties
3. Themed Gathering
4. Bachelorette's Night
5. Bachelor's Night
6. Company Appreciation
7. Guests Appreciation
8. Wine Tasting Parties
9. I-Have-Too-Much-Money-And-I-Don't-Know-How-To-Spend-It Party

And these are just a small handful of them. In fact, I will be very unbashful about this and say that I have in fact done all these parties in the above list, though number 5 was ... kind of weird.

My point is, the way we celebrate our moments has changed. Its not just about the food and drinks. It is about the ambiance (choosing the best venue), the entertainment and even the music.

Recently, I was engaged by a couple from India who flew all the way to host their 40th Wedding Anniversary in the lavish W Hotel. They also flew their friends and families, it was amazing.

A testament to my belief that magic isn't just for children, I did an picture prediction as part of my iPad Magic, and... who says adult can't have fun with magic. :P

It was really fun performing for the guests and VIPs from India. One thing I can be sure, magic does transcend culture.

Peace out!
Alexander Yuen

P.S, if you haven't done so, like my page on Facebook and follow me on instagram will ya!

Chinese Speaking iPad Magician in Singapore

The great thing about growing in Singapore is that almost everyone has to learn 2 languages in school. For me, it is Mandarin and English. English being my first language and Mandarin is my mother tongue. 

This is great because I am often booked for shows and events where I have to perform my iPad magic in a Chinese (or Mandarin). The ability to supplement my magic with language is adds a different dimension to the experience of watching the iPad magic. 

I can lead my audiences with stories through text and animations through the iPad and magic through sleight of hand. Compared to illusionists who performs old school illusions boxes after boxes, this modern and engaging form of magic is highly sought after.

If you are looking for a mandarin or chinese speaking iPad magician, drop me a text! 

Watch my iPad Magic in Chinese below!

Booking and Enquiries:

email me at info@metaillusions.com

Magic Moments: Gorgeous Wedding at 1 Altitude

Weddings = Love + Venue + Food ?
 

Is it all that simple? Yes and no. It really depends on how a couple conceptualizes the wedding. If weddings thought to be simply ceremonial and perfunctory, then the above equation would suffice. A simple affair where two lovers unite their hearts and lives as one from this day on.

But if you conceptualize weddings as an experience, as part of a milestone in your lives as lovers and from this day on as man and wife, then this milestone needs to be memorable and more than just ceremonial. 

The little details add up to the grand experience. For couple, AJ and Jeraldine, they chose a gorgeous venue at 1-Altitude and the decorations were just magical. They also got me to enhance the atmosphere of their wedding. You can see in the pictures below how magic created a magical mood of awe and anticipation.

Picture Credits: One Eye Click and Jeraldine

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AJ flew his friends and family to witness the wonder union of him and his wife. The audience were flew in from different parts of the world to be a part of this magical experience. 

With such a diverse demographics, my experience as an international performer enabled me to effectively entertain and interact with the guests. 

The best part about having an illusionist/magician in your wedding is that you can elicit and capture emotions and expressions of awe, amazement, wonder and positive surprise. Such emotions are hard to evoke and rare in daily occurrences. With magic, these raw emotions are captured in time. 

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So consider having a magician for your wedding, a professional and classy magician. With that, magical moments awaits you. 

Signing off,
Alexander Yuen (humming the tune of Magic.... Moments...)

Evolution of an Artist: iPad Digital Magic

One of the most unique services my team and I offer is our iPad Magic, in both roving format and theatrical format. Below is a teaser of our most recent customized commissioned project for DHL Asia Pacific Innovation Center:

Posted by Alexander Yuen: A Finer Side of Magic on Wednesday, December 9, 2015

It all began in 2012 when Jonathan (co-founder of Meta Illusions) came back from his stint in a tech start up at Silicon Valley and was invited to be featured in a Singapore Magic production called "M for Magic". Wanting to be different and to push the edge of magic, Jonathan designed routines and wrote specific codes for the iPad to make coins appear and disappear. Combined with strong magic and visual elements, we were proud to proclaim that we were doing magic that no one else in Singapore does. 

Watch the video below:

The magic was so sensational it got picked up by various media including Yahoo! News, Straits' Times RazorTV and NUS Post.

Because of the video, we found ourselves booked and commissioned by a Fortune 500 company to create a special iPad sequence to describe their production processes to the international dealers. Unfortunately, due to the sensitive content, we were unable to share our act publicly.

In December of 2012, we had a call from RazorTv wanting to do an exclusive interview with Jonathan and myself and our thoughts on iPad Magic. Once again, Jonathan and myself went back to the drawing board in a bid to create magic that is different and impactful.

You can see how we grew in terms of our magic as well as programming sophistication. The effects we did were more emotionally captivating and the apps we created were more complex than before.

From 2013 - 2014, we learned newer coding techniques and created apps for our professional usage, especially in the area of roving magic. Jonathan then took a hiatus on iOS magic programming as he took on a new role as the co-founder of another successful technological start up. The last video we created was a Christmas video in December 2014.

It was also during the same time I contemplated releasing some of the existing routines that we do professionally. But I took the leap of faith and released these videos.

The reception was overwhelming, both on YouTube and Facebook. Because of this video, I was chosen as a finalist for HP's YouTube Academy contest, in which I created other digital magic with a HP Laptop. I created a sequence in tribute to Singapore's Golden Jubilee Year in which we celebrated our 50th year of independence.

Also at the same time in June 2015, I was working closely with Esplanade to produce a show for Flipside Festival 2015 which involved digital elements to it. Because of its novel impact, the show was commissioned as the first digital magic illusion show in Esplanade. Read more about this show here!

A snippet of #VirtualXReality last night at #Esplanade for #Flipside. 2 more shows to go on the 2nd June, 7.15pm and 8.15pm. Come say hi! #magic #magictricks #magician #magictrick

A video posted by A Finer Side Of Magic (@alexander_yuen) on May 29, 2015 at 9:24pm PDT

Subsequently, the novelty and wow factor of these digital illusions caught on and I was commissioned to create more content for my clientele.

In December of 2015, I was consulted to design a digital illusion sequence for DHL's Innovation Center in Singapore. This is the first innovation center in Asia. They specifically wanted an illusion sequence that showcased innovation and technological progress.

And I was specifically told that the big illusion boxes, cutting and squeezing a girl in a box is out of the question.

I had to innovate.

Picture from: http://business.asiaone.com/news/dhl-launches-multi-million-dollar-innovation-centre-singapore

With a short timeline, I not only created an illusion sequence that hit their key messages with a punch but also presented it in a visually alluring manner. See teaser below:

Digital Illusion Show

Since the conception of Virtual x Reality in June 2015, the very first Virtual Reality Show in Singapore, I've been working and updating some of the illusions for my Digital Illusion Show.Some time ago, I was commissioned by DHL to do a fully customized sequence about for DHL Asia Pacific Innovation Center Launch, and here is a short teaser!Enjoy!

Posted by Alexander Yuen: A Finer Side of Magic on Wednesday, December 9, 2015

It is very well received and I am in the midst of collaborating with other artist and agencies on this platform.

You can see how an artist grows in his/her art form. Innovation does not happen overnight, it is all built on and upon previous innovations. No different from magic.

It is coming to the close of 2015 as I am writing this, and when I reflect upon how our Digital Illusions have evolved, I am extremely thankful for the various opportunities and the (paid-off) leaps of faith agencies have with us. I dare say, thanks to our expertise, experience and amazing track record, we've earn their trust. That much, I am very thankful.

2016 is an exciting year ahead with more cutting edge innovations to come. 
 

Have a great Christmas, and see you in 2016!

Signing off,

Alexander Yuen

Customized Digital Illusions: DHL Asia Pacific Innovation Center Launch

DHL launches S$10m innovation centre in Singapore

A couple of weeks ago, DHL launched their first innovation center in Asia, right in Singapore. In order to display their cutting edge innovation, they engaged me to design a series of illusions to showcase some of their capabilities and to tell a story about innovation. 

Posted by Alexander Yuen: A Finer Side of Magic on Wednesday, December 9, 2015

There were a few objectives I wanted to achieve for this illusion sequence:

1. The magic has to be presented in a modern and relevant platform; appropriate for the Innovation Center.
2. The illusions have to be well strung to tell a coherent story.

I spent close to 10 hours wrecking my brains in conceptualizing and designing appropriate illusions for this event. 

After that, a substantial amount of time was spent on practicing and coding.

Painting Sequence: Paint is "splashed" onto the screen.

An effect about Thomas Edison's Lightbulb Invention.

Innovation Idea on reducing carbon prints by making logistics more eco-friendly.

Taking out physical transportation in logistics.

It was an amazing experience for me (and the audiences) to be at the forefront of innovation.

Read more about their innovation center here:

DHL launches S$10m innovation centre in Singapore

Signing off,
Alexander Yuen